Thatcher part 3: Extent of political & social division Flashcards

1
Q

What were the social divisions like by the end of the 80s?

A

They were the deepest social divisions that Britain had experienced since WW2

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2
Q

What was the main reason for the large amounts of social division in Britain?

A

Thatcher’s economic policies

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3
Q

What sorts of conflict took place in Britain while Thatcher was PM and what caused them?

A
  • Riots
  • Industrial conflict
  • Protest movements

Controversy over Section 28 and the British response to AIDS

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4
Q

In what way could Thatcher not be blamed for the social divide in Britain?

A

It was actually the result of longer-term economic and social changes

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5
Q

What happened to the gap between the rich and the poor under Thatcher?

A

It widened significantly

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6
Q

What did regressive taxes that Thatcher brought in do?

A

Took a larger percentage of the poor’s income than the income of the rich

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7
Q

How did Thatcher’s policies aimed at cutting inflation affect the poor?

A

They cut spending on the poor and led to unemployment among manufacturing work

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8
Q

Who did Thatchers cuts in income tax benefit more?

A

The rich rather than the poor

By 1989 bottom 10% paid £400 million less in income tax, the top 10% paid £9.3 billion less

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9
Q

How did the proportion of pensioners living below the poverty line change under Thatchers’s laws?

A

From 13% to 43%

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10
Q

How did the incomes of the rich and the poor change between 1979-1992?

A

Rich: income rose 61%

Poor: decreased by 18%

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11
Q

How was the middle class divided by Thatcher?

A

Many were against her on the public sector

Only 55% of the middle class voted Tory in 1987, fewer than any time since 1918

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12
Q

How did the middle class change under Thatcher?

A

The middle class grew

One can argue that an increasing income gap between the rich and poor is a sign of a growing economy

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13
Q

How did regional productivity change under Thatcher?

A

London & SE got richer and became more productive

Productivity declined the NE & NW

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14
Q

What misconceptions were there about the North/South divide under Thatcher?

A

The North-South divide did worsen

Some say it was created, but try to view this in the context of a divide existing in Britain since the years immediately after the end of WW1

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15
Q

How did Thatcher try to address the North/South divide?

A

She introduced “enterprise zones”

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16
Q

What were Thatcher’s “enterprise zones”?

A

These were private areas where firms received government funds to move in and generate growth

17
Q

How effective were the “enterprise zones” that Thatcher introduced?

A

Led to some impressive urban renewal projects (Albert Docks, Liverpool)

Wider success was limited

18
Q

How did the number of economically inactive people change under Thatcher?

A

Economically inactive people in former industrial areas continued to increase between 1990 - 1997

By 2001 1/5 men in former coalfields were unemployed, up from 1/10 in 1981

19
Q

By 2001, how many men in former coalfields were unemployed?

A

1/5

Compared to 1/10 in 1981

20
Q

Which poorer areas of the UK bounced back under Thatcher?

A

Yorkshire, South Derbyshire and North Warwickshire bounced back but South Wales struggled

21
Q

Why did South Wales suffer badly under Thatcher?

A

Due to the decline of the mining areas

22
Q

How did unemployment change in Wales from 1979-1986?

A

1979 - 73,000

1986 - 166,000

23
Q

`By 1990 how many people in Wales worked in mining?

A

3000 people

24
Q

What % of the mining workforce in Wales was lost?

25
Q

What sort of social problems were caused by the unemployment in Wales?

A

It lead to social problems such as drug abuse, homelessness and crime

1, 308 drug offenses recorded in Wales in 1990, compared with 605 in 1979

26
Q

How was there economic development in other areas of Wales under Thatcher?

A
  • Increased spending on NHS
  • GDP per person increased
  • More students going to further education
27
Q

How much did spending on the NHS increase in Wales under Thatcher?

A

From £500 million in 1979 to £1.5 billion in 1990

28
Q

How much did the GDP increase in Wales under Thatcher?

A

GDP per person increased from £7000 to £20,300

29
Q

How did the amount of students who went onto further education in Wales under Thatcher change?

A

Number of school-leavers seeking further education or training increased from 20% to 47% between 1974 to 1991